Ingrams aren't quitters.

So let's cut to the chase, here's the latest:

We're 98.42% sure Jackson is headed to Atlanta for rehabilitation soon! Just waiting on the okay from their medical director, but he's basically set. It's the Scottish Rite at the Children's Hospital in Atlanta. They have given him a "scholarship" (financial aid) and approved him as a good candidate for the program. It's really the best thing that could have happened. That rehab facility is the best in the country for pediatric TBIs (traumatic brain injury). Jackson is blessed to have the opportunity to go there and get help from amazing physical therapists, speech therapists, etc. Maybe I'll shadow his speech therapist while I'm there...

After looking over the MRI they took a few days ago, the neurosurgeon has made some decisions. They are going to do surgery after all, on Friday. He wants to make sure the dura mater (membrane covering the brain which keeps the fluids in) is in good shape and to put in a plate for the skull fracture just in case. This is mostly precautionary to prevent any other issues down the road. We're hoping and praying all goes well with that! As soon as Jackson has recovered from that surgery, he should be headed off to Atlanta. Momma says even with the limited amount of therapy they have been giving him while still in the PICU he seems to be responding well. His muscle strength and control continues to improve. He has more periods of being awake and is showing improvement in baby steps. We are so blessed to have such great medical care. Jackson has been surrounded by fantastic professionals from day one and they are giving him everything they can. 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently wrote a book entitled Created for Greater Things, and this is a quote/story from it:

What is the best that lies within us? Of how much are we capable? None of us yet knows. An old Arabic legend tells of a rider finding a spindly sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. He dismounted and asked the sparrow why his feet were in the air.
Replied the sparrow, "I heard the heavens were going to fall today."
"And I suppose you think your puny bird legs can hold up the whole universe?" laughed the horseman.
"Perhaps not," said the sparrow with conviction, "but one does whatever one can."

I feel like that puny sparrow. I'm just one little girl, trying to do whatever I can. I never thought I could ever deal with something like this. My worst fear has always been that something would happen to my family, something that I couldn't fix. I may not be able to hold up the universe myself, but I'm sure gonna do whatever is in my power. I can still keep trying and keep pressing forward and I can still kneel and pray to my Father in Heaven. And He can fix things. We may not have control over everything, but I witness that He does. He expects us to do what we can and trust that He knows what is absolutely best. Just because it seems impossible or beyond our capability doesn't mean we should throw up our hands and let it all go; as President Hinckley said, "You have not failed until you quit trying." We're not going to quit trying. Jackson's not gonna quit trying. We're in this until the end. 

Keep praying for him. He loves you all, and so do we. 

Love, Emalie (my parents' favorite daughter)